Smart Home Technology That Will Blow Your Mind

Anyone who has avoided living under a rock during the past decade knows full well that the home automation wave is marching relentlessly along, passing into virtually every home in the U.S. and indeed the world. Most people are already aware of the basics, like automated lights, thermostats, and door locks, but you may not be aware of the Jetson-esque world that is gradually evolving into reality. Check out these devices that give the term “smart home” a whole new meaning.

GeniCan

This ingenious invention is the brainchild of Rob Griffin, whose wife would repeatedly go to the grocery store and forget the list. Funded by an Indiegogo campaign, Griffin developed a device that attaches to the inside of a trash can (square or rectangle work best) and allows you to scan each item as you throw it away, creating a grocery list through the mobile app. The invention also lets you know when the trashcan is full. Do you have to put everything you put in the can on the list? Not with GeniCan. You can simply toss without scanning if you don’t want to replace the item. The only downside is that as of March 2016, there is still no ship date yet, although the website is accepting preorders.

Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator

This stainless steel beauty was the surprise prom king of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 2016. Concept fridges have come along over the years in fits and starts, but nothing that has stuck and become available on the mass market. The Samsung Family Hub is a study in elegant style and advanced function, with its 21.5″ HD Super AMOLED touchscreen that can be used as a calendar for your busy family’s activities, or to take your favorite TV show from the living room into the kitchen when you get up for a snack.

There are built-in speakers for listening to apps like Pandora, and web connectivity, which doubles as a quick way to order groceries. You can even take a photo of the interior, showing you which items need to be replaced. Of course, all of this functionality will come at a luxury price point – the smart fridge is expected to be released spring 2016 at a cost of around $5,000.

Simply Ridiculous

If you have a few million laying around, you could outfit your home like Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ palatial mansion. When you visit the home as a guest, you’re given a pin into which you program your lighting, temperature, and music preferences, allowing perfect comfort to follow you from room to room inside the 66,000 sq. ft. home. Don’t like the artwork? No problem. The art screens can change to display your favorite masterpieces in an instant. While this kind of technology exists, it is likely still a way off from being financially accessible to the average consumer.

Installation for the Everyman

While you probably will not be needing quite the level of home automation as Bill Gates, you may wonder how you’re going to get your ecobee installation accomplished correctly, or your office network setup tied in with the rest of your smart devices. ServiceLive Direct is here to bridge the gap between you and smart home installation experts. Whether you just need a Nest smoke detector installed or an entire suite of appliances, locks, or even technical consultation service online, we do the screening so you can feel confident about the experts doing the work.